Hoop iron for wrapping round bales



April 13, 1965 H. J. TIMMERBEIL 3,177,538

HOOP IRON FOR WRAPPING ROUND BALES Filed Aug. 31, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 13, 1965 H. J. TIMMERBEIL 3,177,538

HOOP IRON FOR WRAPPING ROUND BALES Filed Aug. 31, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 13, 1965 H. J. TIMMERBEIL 3,177,538

HOOP IRON FOR WRAPPING ROUND BALES Filed Aug. 5l. 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 rround larger or smaller bales.

United States Patent O 3,177,538 HOOP IRON FOR WRAIPING ROUND BALES Hans Jochen Timmerbeil, Schwelm, Westphalia, Germany, assigner to Titan-Eisenwarenfabrik G.m.b.I-I., Schwelm, Westphalia, Germany Filed Aug. 31, 1961, Ser. No. 135,309 Claims priority, application (srmany, Sept. 2, 1960,

This invention relates to a hoop iron for wrapping round bales, which has at its ends couplings formed by incisions and curved webs and adapted to be manually hooked together.

Hitherto, in these couplings the halves to be hooked together have been designed of different shape in that at one end of the hoop iron the central web formed by the symmetrical arrangement of a pair of -incisions is narrower than that formed at the other end of the hoop iron, so that narrower central web can be inserted into the space between the two outer Webs of the other coupling half. The manufacture of such different coupling halves requires the use of different tools.

`It is the object of the present invention to provide a hoop .iron of the kind specified above, which has coupling halves that can be manufactured with the aid of one and the same tool.

This object is achieved in that the incisions are increased in width such that the coupling halves can be unimpededly selectively hooked together despite their similar shape. This substantially simplifies the manufacture of hoop irons especially for Wrapping round bales of different sizes and enables the lhoop iron to be made of a great length wherein the hoop iron is provided with a continuous series of couplings which can be selectively hooked together. For wrapping the hoop iron around a bale, it is only necessary to separate the length required and the ends of the hoop iron are then hooked together. -Furthermom, the hoop iron may be re-used -for wrapping For wrapping round larger bales, several hoop irons can be hook-ed together at their ends whereas if smaller bales are intended to be Wrapped round, the hoop iron only needs to be shortened to the length required. In couplings in which the central web formed by the incisions increased in width is twice reduced in width so that it has a broader middle lportion and two smaller end portions, the ends of the hoop iron can `be exchanged when they are to be hooked together, i.-e. each end of the hoop iron can be selectively disposed above or below the other end of the hoop iron and hooked therein.

Expediently, the incisions may be increased in width by narrowing and thickening in cross-section the central webs and/or the outer webs formed by the incisions. The cross-sectional area of the hoop iron is n-ot reduced by increasing the width of the incisions, so that the strength of the hoop iron is retained. This advantage is also utilized in the case of increasing the incisons in width by deforming the central webs and/or the outer webs so that they are given a cross-section of arcuate shape or forcing apart the outer webs or turning them into inclined positions with respect to the plane of the hoop iron.

Advantageously, the incisions increased in width may also be formed by narrow gaps cut out of the hoop iron.

rThereby the manufacture of the couplings is substantially simplified as the tools for cutting the gaps out of the hoop iron and those for producing the curved webs act in the .same direction and, therefore, can be combined into one 3,177,538 Patented Apr. 13, 1965 ICC direction of the hoop iron. Thereby couplings having a central `web which is only once reduced in width at each side, can be readily hooked together, the parts of the hoop iron engaging behind one another and forming the connection being not reduced. To enable couplings havig a central web which is twice reduced in width at each side to be readily hooked together, expediently at least one of those parts of the incisions forming the reductions in width of the central web is increased in width.

Advantageously, the increased incisions .taper toward their ends. This has a favourable influence on the ilux of the lines of force in the hoop iron in the region of the couplings, preventing the hoop iron from breaking paricularly at the ends of the incisions.

Several preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to .the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bale provided with a plurality of hoop irons according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan View, on a larger scale, of a first embodiment of the connection of the hoop irons;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the connection shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a top plan View, on a larger scale, of a second embodiment of the connection of the hoop irons;

FIG. 5 is a similar view of a third embodiment of the connection of the hoop irons;

FIG.6 is a perspective view of an eccentric press for the manufacture of the hoop iron according to the invention;

FIGS. 7 to 9 are schematic cross-sectional views `of the tools for producing the incisions in the hoop iron and for narrowing and thickening in cross-section the central webs and/ or the outer webs yformed by the incisions;

FIGS. l() to 12 are similar views of the tools for producing the incisions in Ithe hoop iron and for deforming the central webs and/or the outer webs so they are given a cross-section of arcuate shape;

FIGS. 13 to l5 are similar views of the tools for producing the incisions in the hoop iron and for forcing apart the outer webs;

FIG. 16 is a fragmentary top plan view of the hoop iron produce-d by the tools shown in FIGS. 13 to 15;

FIGS. 17 and 18 are schematic cross-sectional views of the tools for Aproducing the incisions in the hoop iron and for turning the outer webs into inclined positions with respect to the plane of the hoop iron;

FIGS. 19 and 20 :are similar views of the tools for producing the incisions formed by narrow gaps, and

FIG. 21 is a top plan view, on a larger scale, of a fourth embodiment of the connection.

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a bale 22 which is provided with hoop irons 23, one hoop iron being arranged in the longitudinal direction of the bale and three other hoop irons being arranged in the transverse direction thereof and at a distance from each other. For producing the bale 22 provided with .the hoop irons 23, the material for the bale is compressed. Then the hoop irons 23 are wrapped around the compressed material, which hoop irons are adapted to be hooked together at .their ends. To this end the hoop irons 23 are provided particularly at their ends with one or more couplings `which are formed by angular incisions 24 extending substantially in the longitudinal direction of the hoop iron.

As shown in FIG. 2, the angular incisions 24 are symmetrically arranged in pairs and are substantially Z- shaped. A central web 25 and two outer webs 26 are formed by the incisions 24, which webs are alternately curved in opposite directions longitudinally of the hoop iron 23, as can be seen from FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 shows an eccentric press 27 which serves for wardly by a` known-gripper Vfeedrn Yravir/,53s

24 in the hoop irons 23 i The die 29 is movable a electric motor. For operating the eccentric press 27 it is therefore ,fnecessaryrst to start the electric motor drivf"k Iing the flywheel. For this purpose an oit-on switch 30 -is provided on thek table 28. The Ytable 28 is further pro- 'vided with Ya second oil-on switch 31 for operating the .fluid coupling. Upon actuation of the off-,on switch 31 the fluid is compressed. The eccentric pressis now'ready for operation and the die 29 can be moved up Vand down, according to choice, by operating hand lev ers 32V and'33 or a foot switch 34 hydraulically coupling the eccentric of the die 29 with the flywheel.

On the table 28 of the eccentric press 27 a punching tool 35 isY arranged which, in the illustrated embodiment, is constructed as a tool guided by colurnns,. V The punching tool'35 'has a base plate B16-with a lower cutting plate 37 arranged thereon. The vbase plate 36 is provided with Acolumns 38 on which a guide platev 38 is movable up and down.Y Secured to the die 29 is a tenon plate 40 thecentral webs 25 and r'narrowed and thickened in cross-section.

, Y 4 Y v the outerv webs 26 may be FIGS. V to 12.illustrate an embodimentl wherein the incisions 24 are increased inwidth by rdeiorming the webs 'and`26 formed by the incisions 24, in suchV a manner that the webs are given a cross-section of arcuate shape. FIG. 1Q shows the rst working lplace where the incisions 24 f are produced andV the so formed webs `25 and v26 are alternately curved in opposite directions' longitudinally of the hoop iron. At the second working place shown in FIG. 11,v the central webs 25 are so deformed that they ,are given a cross-section of arcuateshape. kTo achieve this, thetenon plate 40 is provided at the second working place with formingdies 46 which are arrangedl to cooperate with correspondingly shaped molds 47 provided on the base plate36. Alternatively, as can be scent-from FIG. 12, also bothrthe central webs 25 and. the outer webs 26'can be given a crosst section-'of 4arcuate shape at Vthe second working place.

Itis, however; also possible to deform only the outer Y webs 26 in the manner indicated.

of the punching tool on which an upper cutting plate 41 is provided. VVThe kupper cutting plate .41. projects into a recessV in the guideY plate 39. YThe hoop iron to be worked is guided between the lower cutting plate 37 and the guide plate 39. Upon downward'rnovement of the die 29 the tenon plate 40 together with the uppercutting plate 41 secured thereto is moved ytoward the lower cutting plate V37 land during this movement iirst the guide plate 39 which is connected with the tenon'plate 40 is pressed by means of springs42 against the'lower cutting plate 37 sothat the hoop iron is ixedly held in place.

Upon further downward movement of the'diek 29 .the

upper cutting plate 41 and the lower cutting plate.37 engage into each other thereby to produce the incisions 24 in the hoop iron lying between them. At the same time the webs 25 and 26 formedrby the incisions 24 -arey al-V ternately curved in` opposite directions longitudinally ofiY the hoop iron. As can be seen particularly from FIGS..

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 13 to Y 15 the incisions 24 are increased in width by forcingthe outer webs 26 apart. FIG. Yl2 again showsrtheiirst working placewhere the incisions 24 are produced and `the so `formed webs 25 and 26 are alternatelycurved in opposite directionsv longitudinally of the hoop iron.V At the second working place (FIG.'14) the outer webs 26 arev forced apart by horizontally Vmovable hooks 48 which can be moved lin opposite V, directions'by awedge provided on the tenon plate 40. Alternatively, as shown Yin FIG-l5, the outer webs 26 canbe forced apart by downwardly tapering `dies 49 provided ion the tenon plate 40. By

thusiforcing apart lthe outer webs 26 the hoop l'iron ,23

` .webs 26into inclined rpositions with'respect to theplane 2, 4, 5, 16k and 2l, the angular incisions 24 areincreased in width so that the centralY web 25,in,spite of its Voblique edges which result from the punching processv (see FIGS.V

. 7, 10, 13 and 17), can be inserted between kthe two:V outer webs 26 of another `pair of incisions 24k produced with of the ,hoop iron.. FIG." 17 again shows the iirstworking place Ywhere the incisions 24 are lproduced and the so formed webs 25 and 26'Y are alternately curved in opposite directions vlongitudinally ofthe 'hoop iron. At Vthe see- Yond working place shown'in FIG518, the outer webs 26 the aidof the saine punching toolr35 in order to hook the ends of the hoop iron 23 together.l To be able to in- 1 crease the width of the incisions 24, theY punching tool 35 comprises.follow-onftools. v Inthe embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 7, 8, 9, 10, ll, l2, 13,'14,.15, 17 and18;

at a first working place one or more pairs of incisions 24 cisions 24 are increased in width-After each Yworking are produced while the so formed ,webs25 and 26zare alternately curved in opposite directions'` longitudinally of the hoop iron andr at a second working'place the'instroke of the eccentric press the hoop ironis 'Arnoyed for` width of oneworking place.Y

26 are alternately curved in opposite/directions longitudi-l nally of the hoop Viron.

plane V'of the hoop iron'are' narrowedY and thickene'dvin cross-section. To this/end horizontallyfmovabledies l 44 are provided which can be movedY Vtiowardfeach other; @i

by meansV yof wedges provided onthe tenon plat e4 0j of the punching tool 35, andtwhichfcanbe returned'into l At the second working placeA shown Vin FIG. 8,'the Ycentral webs 25bent out of theL their initial positions bysprings.,jLI-Iowevergas shownr in '.FIG.- 9, it is also possiblerforg. thelouter-'webs26to Y Y l Y Y o `narrowed and thickened in Vcross-sectionV of theseeond 'Y wrapped around "a baler'of smaller Vslilze',.thev hoop iron "only needs toit be rshorten'edto the length required.` The ...working place bya downwardly/tapering die esprqvidedi-:

on the tenon plate 40It nnderstood that also-ih(ithl 55' ofV the hoop iron.v f

are turned into inclined lpositions with respect tothe plane ofthe hoop iron. To this end, forming dies 50 are provided on the'tenon-,plate-40 in the region of the secondworkingplace, whichfforming dies arefarranged Ito cooperate Y with correspondingly shaped molds 51. l It is understood that; therturning of thef vouter` webs'may be .effected contemporaneously with the Vmaking of the incisions by so constructing theparts VVofglthe surface of 'the lower cutting V:plate vr3 7 supportingl theouter- 'webs 'that they extendtatfan'ncline,with respecttothe plane I n the' embodiment ninstratedni FIGS. 2, 5, 19,-20 and 2l theincisions l2,4 arey increased Ain widthby cutting narrow Vgaps 5 2y out of the' hoop iron.`V vAs can be seen from FIG. .19, at theflirst working place thegaps are cutout by narrow cuttingdie 53.V At the second workingY place shown in VIEIGQZO, the Webs'f25 and 26 formed bythe gaps 4are' alternately curved in opposite directions longitudinally Vof the :hoopiron byforrning diesf54'and molds 55. 4 The incisions 2 4l formed in accordance'with the1invention enable the hoop iron't'ogbe madeV of a great length,

thel' hoop ironfV being providedwith `a continuous, Vseries y of similar incisions'l'24'incre`pas'ed in Y,width which can be lselectively hookedtogether.l l For Wrapping the hoopiron aroundfafbale, it isfonly necessary to separte thelength requirediand the enti'sfofY the hooplironrare then'hooked together'. VFurthermore, the' hoop iron Vmay 4be repeatedly used.lf"the-hoop vironjv is ,intended tojbe subsequently rends ofthe hoop ironfca'n thenjbehoolc'ed, together again owing to the continuous arrangement of the incisions 24. For wrapping around larger bales, several hoop irons 23 can be hooked together at their ends.

In FIG. 5 the central web 2S' formed by the incisions 24 is twice reduced in width so that it has a broader middle portion and two smaller end portions. This enables the ends of the hoop iron to be exchanged when they are to be hooked together, i.e. each end of the hook iron can be selectively disposed above or below the other end of the hook iron and hooked therein. To ensure that the ends of the hook iron can be readily hooked together, either the whole incisions are increased in width or in addition to the parts of the incisions extending substantially longitudinally of the hoop iron, also one of those parts of the incisions forming the reducutions in width of the central web is increased in width.

This invention may be embodied in other specic forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein. For example, as shown in FIG. 21, only one incision 24" of each pair of incisions 24 may be increased in width so that the central 4web 2S can be manually inserted between the outer webs of another pair of corresponding incisions.

I claim:

1. A strapping device including an elongated flexible band being at least at each end portion thereof formed with a pair of zig-zag shaped substantially longitudinally extending slits which are of identical configuration and spacing from each other in all pairs and in which the lslits in each pair are symmetrically arranged with respect to yan axis extending in longitudinal direction of said band and dene between themselves a central web and between said slits and the longitudinal edges of said band a pair of outer webs, at least said central web between each pair of slits being raised out of the plane of the band so that when said end portions are overlapped during strapping of a package with one central web at one end portion overlapping the central web of the other end portion and nested in part between the pair of outer webs of said other end portion, the side edges of said one central web will interlock ywith the facing side edges of said outer webs of said other end portion, the width of said slits being widened in transverse direction so that, though all of said central webs have identical widths and configurations, said end portions may be manually interlocked in any overlapping relationship with each other.

2. A strapping device as set forth in claim 1 in which said slits are widened so that the widths thereof taper toward the ends thereof.

3. A strapping device as set forth in claim 1 in which each of said slits has a pair of spaced longitudinally extending end portions substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the band, a central portion substantially parallel to said axis and spaced further therefrom than said pair of end portions, and a pair of connecting portions inclined to said axis and connecting said central portion with said end portions, respectively.

4. A strapping device as set forth in claim 1 in which only one slit in each pair of slits is widened.

5. A strapping device as set forth in claim 1 in which said outer webs are bent out of the plane of the band in a direction opposite to the bend of the central web.

6. A strapping device as set forth in claim 1 in which said elongated flexible band is formed along the whole length thereof with said pairs of zig-zag shaped identical slits spaced in longitudinal direction from each other and in which at least said central web between each pair of slits is bent out of the plane of the band and in which at least one of the slits in each pair of slits is widened.

7. A strapping device as set forth in claim 1 in which each of said slits has a pair of spaced longitudinally extending slit portions substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said band and a connecting portion inclined to said axis.

8. A strapping device as set forth in claim 7 in which only the longitudinally extending slit portions are widened.

9. A strapping device including an elongated exible band being at least at each end portion thereof formed with a pair of zig-Zag shaped substantially longitudinally extending slits which are of identical configuration and spacing from each other in all pairs and in which the slits in each pair are symmetrically arranged with respect to an axis extending in longitudinal direction of said band and dene between themeslves a central Web and between said slits and the longitudinal edges of said band a pair of outer webs, at least said central web between each pair of slits being raised out of the plane of the band so that when said end portions are overlapped during strapping of a package with one central web at one end portion overlapping the central web of the other end portion and nested in part between the pair of outer webs of said other end portion, the side edges iof said one central web will interlock with the facing side edges of said outer webs of said other end portion, the width of said slits being widened in transverse direction so that the transverse width of each central -web at any point spaced in longitudinal direction from the ends of said slits defining said central web is slightly smaller than the transverse width between the facing side edges of the outer webs at any points equally spaced from the ends of said slits, whereby, though all of said central webs have identical widths and configurations, said end portions may be manually interlocked in any overlapping relationship with each other.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,687,854 Anderson Oct. 16, 1928 2,199,198 Girvan Apr. 30, 1940 2,297,948 Eisenhauer Oct. 6, 1942 2,426,670 Cooley Sept. 2, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS 802,999 France June 22, 1936 648,535 Germany Aug. 3, 1937 223,044 Australia July 27, 1959 

1. A STRAPPING DEVICE INCLUDING AN ELONGATED FLEXIBLE BAND BEING AT LEAST AT EACH END PORTION THEREOF FORMED WITH A PAIR OF ZIG-ZAG SHAPED SUBSTANTIALLY LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING SLITS WHICH ARE OF IDENTICAL CONFIGURATION AND SPACING FROM EACH OTHER IN ALL PAIRS AND IN WHICH THE SLITS IN EACH PAIR ARE SYMMETRICALLY ARRANGED WITH RESPECT TO AN AXIS EXTENDING IN LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION OF SAID BAND AND DEFINE BETWEEN THEMSELVES A CENTRAL WEB AND BETWEEN EACH SAID SLITS AND THE LONGITUDINAL EDGES OF SAID BAND A PAIR OF OUTER WEBS, AT LEAST SAID CENTRAL WEB BETWEEN EACH PAIR OF SLITS BEING RAISED OUT OF THE PLANE OF THE BAND SO THAT WHEN SAID END PORTIONS ARE OVERLAPPED DURING STRAPPING OF A PACKAGE WITH ONE CENTRAL WEB AT ONE END PORTION OVERLAPPING THE CENTRAL WEB OF THE OTHER END PORTION AND NESTED IN PART BETWEEN THE PAIR OF OUTER END PORTION SAID OTHER END PORTION, THE SIDE EDGES OF SAID ONE CENTRAL WEB WILL INTERLOCK WITH THE FACING SIDE EDGES OF SAID OUTER WEBS OF SAID OTHER END PORTION, THE WIDTH OF SAID SLITS BEING WIDENED IN TRANSVERSE DIRECTION SO THAT, THOUGH ALL OF SAID CENTRAL WEBS HAVE INDENTICAL WIDTHS AND CONFIGURATIONS, SAID END PORTIONS MAY BE MANUALLY INTERLOCKED IN ANY OVERLAPPING RELATIONSHIP WITH EACH OTHER. 